LIAM Moore opened up on a traumatic 18 months before his career was resurrected by Reading FC boss Jaap Stam.

The centre-back admitted Stam took a risk by bringing him to Berkshire last summer following a frustrating period with boyhood club Leicester City.

Moore revealed he was at the lowest point in his career when he was shipped out on loan to Bristol City following the birth of his child, and said he was fed up of watching the Premier League champions from the stands towards the end of last season.

But despite his lack of game time – except what he described as a “dodgy” spell in Bristol – Stam took a chance by luring Moore to Madejski Stadium for around £1.5 million.

The defender grasped the opportunity and he quickly became a firm fans’ favourite.

He completed his 46th appearance of the season against Burton Albion on Sunday – a personal best – and now he wants to repay the manager and fans by guiding Reading back to the Premier League.

Reading Chronicle:

Liam Moore celebrates his goal in the 3-2 win at Blackburn in December. Picture: Jason Dawson/jasonpix.

“There was no point in me staying at Leicester,” asserted Moore, who is set to start against Fulham in Saturday’s semi-final first leg at Craven Cottage (5.30pm ko, live Sky Sports).

“It does nothing for me and does nothing for anybody else.

“Financially I took a pay cut because I wanted to play football. There was no point seeing out another year because it might have made my pockets a bit bigger.

“Playing regularly has made me a happier person, it’s what I love and what I’ve always wanted to do.

“For him to bring me here off the back of not much football at all except for a dodgy spell at Bristol is a good thing. I’m very happy, I’m very thankful and I’ve tried to show that in all my performances.”

Moore made more than 30 appearances during Leicester’s promotion to the Premier League back in 2014. However, he found first-team opportunities hard to come by under former Foxes’ boss Claudio Ranieri.

Having spent 17 years at the club, he revealed it was tough to watch Leicester’s title win in 2015/16 from the sidelines, but insists it is his turn to make history now.

He continued: “I’m 100 per cent committed. I want to repay the manager and the club because they had a long fight getting me here.

“I have a long-term contract and I want to be part of something that’s pushing in the right direction. As long as Stam is here we will always be going in the right direction.

“I said to my girlfriend this time last year that I’m going to write my own history this year and so far with the help of my team-mates we have done that.”

Moore is set to line-up for Royals against Fulham tomorrow in the Championship play-off semi-final first leg at Craven Cottage (5.30pm ko).

But fellow centre-back Paul McShane and winger Garath McCleary both face fitness tests and could be a doubt.